大象传媒

ACT I

In B眉rglen, on the shore of Lake Lucerne, the townspeople are preparing to celebrate the聽wedding of three couples. While the fishermen Ruodi flirts with his sweetheart, Guillaume Tell聽muses on the political situation in his fatherland, which is suffering under the Habsburg聽occupation. Tell鈥檚 wife Hedwige and his son Jemmy greet the elder Melcthal, who is to bless the聽couples. His son Arnold cannot participate in the festivities, as he is in love with the Habsburg聽princess Mathilde, who is part of the cruel governor Gesler鈥檚 entourage. Arnold has saved her聽from an avalanche and is now torn between his budding love for Mathilde and loyalty to his聽fatherland. Tell notices his friend鈥檚 dilemma and tries to persuade him that fighting for his聽country鈥檚 freedom is the only true choice. As Gesler鈥檚 arrival is announced, Arnold is won over聽by Tell鈥檚 revolutionary 茅lan and the two men swear to overthrow the tyrant. Melcthal presides聽over the marriage ceremony. For the villagers, this happy day is a welcome respite from their聽miserable existence. While Jemmy is hailed as the champion archer, Arnold slips away in search聽of Mathilde. The festive mood is disrupted by the entrance of Leuthold: he has killed an Austrian聽soldier who tried to abduct his daughter, and is now being pursued by Gesler鈥檚 troops. His only聽recourse is to flee to the far side of the lake, but Ruodi refuses to take him there, as a storm is聽brewing. But Tell, a skilled and intrepid oarsman, is willing to brave the storm and bring his聽compatriot to safety. Rodolphe, the captain of Gesler鈥檚 guard, looks on impotently. He presses聽the villagers to name Leuthold鈥檚 rescuer, threatening them with the death penalty. When聽Melcthal answers that there are no traitors amongst the Swiss, Rodolphe has him arrested and聽orders his men to raze the village.

ACT II

In nature, too, various forces are at work. Austrian hunters have shot Swiss chamois on the聽R眉tliberg; shepherds can be heard singing about the sunset. Mathilde leaves the Austrian hunting聽party behind: she knows that Arnold has followed her and she enjoys the solitude of dusk. She is聽happier here in the forest than in the sumptuous palaces. Arnold finally appears. He professes his聽love, but says he is prepared to give her up and to die far from his fatherland. Mathilde indicates聽that the feelings are mutual. By excelling in battle, he could overcome their social differences聽and conflicting political positions. A future together seems possible after all. The lovers must聽separate when Tell and Walter Furst approach, but they first agree to meet the next morning.聽Tell, of course, is aware that Arnold was not alone. He and Furst fear that Arnold will rejoin the聽enemy forces: Mathilde is, after all, a member of the rival camp. He appeals to Arnold鈥檚聽patriotism. Does he want to be an accessory to Switzerland鈥檚 downfall? Tell and Furst then聽inform Arnold that Gesler has executed his father, and now, wracked by guilt, Arnold at once聽chooses the side of the Swiss. In the darkness, the three men take an oath of vengeance:聽independence or death. One by one, emissaries from the neighboring cantons Unterwald,聽Schwyz, and Uri join them. Together they plan to rise up against the overlords and avenge the聽murder of Arnold鈥檚 father.

ACT III

Mathilde and Arnold keep their date in a chapel. But in light of the recent events, the聽impossibility of their love is evident. Arnold swears to avenge himself on Gesler, and Mathilde聽chooses seclusion, to cherish her beloved in her heart.

On the market square in Altdorf, Gesler forces the Swiss to commemorate their hundred-year聽occupation. The townsfolk are required to pay homage to his hat, raised up on a pole. They are聽ordered to dance until they collapse. Tell and his son Jemmy arrive but Tell refuses to bow to the聽hat. Rodolphe arrests them and recognizes Tell as Leuthold鈥檚 rescuer. Tell tries to dispatch聽Jemmy to his mother鈥檚 protection, so that the boy can give the signal for the uprising when the聽time comes. But Gesler intercedes and, incensed by Tell鈥檚 defiance, orders him to shoot an apple聽off Jemmy鈥檚 head with his crossbow. If he refuses, both father and son will die. Even when Tell聽does fall to his knees before Gesler, the governor is implacable. Jemmy speaks encouraging聽words to his father: he is confident of his marksmanship. And indeed, Tell shoots off the apple in聽a clean shot. Gesler discovers, however, a second arrow in Tell鈥檚 quiver. The archer plainly聽admits that it was intended for Gesler himself, should he have missed the apple and hit Jemmy.聽Furious, Gesler has his guards seize them both. But Mathilde rushes in and, in the name of the聽emperor, takes custody of the boy. Gesler intends to escort the archer himself to K眉ssnacht on聽the opposite shore of the lake, where he is to be thrown to wild animals in the dungeon.聽Rodolphe warns his superior of the hazardous conditions, but Gesler is not to be swayed. When聽their pleas for mercy go unheeded, the Swiss folk curse their oppressor. As Tell is taken away,聽Gesler鈥檚 army confronts the Swiss rebels.

ACT IV

Beset by doubt, Arnold enters his late father鈥檚 house for the last time. There he passes out聽weapons, hidden by Melcthal and Tell, to his fellow freedom fighters. Now properly armed, they聽set out to liberate Tell.

A fierce storm erupts on the lakeshore. The Swiss womenfolk only just manage to restrain聽Hedwige in her determination to go after Gesler: it would mean certain death. But what, she聽argues, is the use of living without her husband and child? Both mother and son are overjoyed聽when Mathilde reunites Jemmy and Hedwige. Leuthold tells them that Tell鈥檚 shackles were聽unbound so he could steer the boat in the storm. They all rush to the shore and watch as Tell聽leaps onto a rocky outcrop. Gesler manages to quit the boat. Having removed the cache of聽weapons to a safe spot, Jemmy sets his family home alight as the signal for the rebellion to聽begin. He hands Tell his crossbow, and his father shoots the tyrant. The rebels arrive, joined by聽Arnold and Walter Furst: Altdorf is liberated! To his surprise, Arnold spots Mathilde. She has聽found a new cause at the side of the Swiss people, but their love affair is a closed book. The聽storm recedes and the clouds disperse, opening up a vista of the lake and the mountains.聽Switzerland is free. 鈥擱eprinted courtesy of Dutch National Opera